The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-12-15
MEN IN PETTICOATS.
a Dream of What May Come to Pass In the
Not Distant Future.

| Not Distant Future.
There is great thought, brilliant
Industrial suggestion, in the case OF
Frank King, otherwise Kitty Russell,
who has been forced. according to the
young persons own story, to adopt a
woman's garb aud 60 out to work as a
housemaid and waitress in order to
make a living. Mr.. Frank King says
that he had money enough to live on.
without work, up to year ago. Then
circumstances compelled him to go tc
work. He could find no work to do as
a man. but he observed that there was
always an unsupplied demand for fe-
male domestic help. If the work
would not come to Frank King. Frank
King would go to the work; and, as
his face was smooth and his stat.
ure moderate, and as short hair
is fashionable, he had no difficulty in
Disgusting himself in woman's clothes
and getting situation. The scrutiny
OF likely-looking servant girls, as every
body knows. is not keen. The advent
of any kind of girl at all is. in GER
tain unlucky households. especially
suburban households. matter for ex-
ceeding rejoicing. Kitty Russell says.
however, that she was compelled to fly
from one place to another to avoid de-
lection; and at last, having located
with family in Chelsea. where she
was regarded as q perfect jewel. she
was indiscreet enough, having fond
ness for the military. to go out and see
the parade of the First regiment, and
was pounced upon and arrested by a
sharp-eyed policeman, who detected
her disguise. so that here. for time at
least, Kitty Russell's promising indus
trial career was brought to a close.
There is suggestion in this affair.
1t ought to be plain enough what it is.
There are thousands of men. we are
told, who can not find work to do.
There are many more thousands of
women who will not do Homework.
Now, of these thousands of men there
are majority. beyond a doubt. who
might make themselves quite handy 1T
homework, or ar least a good deal
handler than nothing at all. Let these
poor wretches without employment be
''driven to petticoats," as Mr.. Frank
King was. To petticoats-that is. if it
is regarded as necessary to keep up a
fiction of femininity; but in order to
spare the stalwart maids-of-all-work
such episodes as Kittie Russell was sub
jected to when she went out to see the
soldiers, and to keep within the law.
the petticoats might be only mere
perfunctory. rudimentary one-a sort
of Albanian fustanella, neatly disposed
over Michaeps neat but ample panta-
looms. Perhaps function and legiti-
mate opportunity for the divided skirt
may be found at last in this suggested
industrial movement. The sex of the
new servants might be still further dis
guised little, without being denied.
by adding a feminine termination to the
well-knOwn masculine name.
One can imagine an interesting do
mestic scene under this new regime.
"MichaelIar' the mistress calls
"Michaellar'
Enter Michaella, the second girl, in a
neat suit consisting of calico jacket.
short starched nainsook petticoat. and
coarse checked trousers over cowhide
boots. Her boots make something of a
clatter as she comes in over the hard
wood floor of the hall, and her mistress
eyebrows knit Il little.
"Michaella," she says. Il must eau
ton you again to walk little more
softly. What! Your mustache still in
curl papers at this hour? And please
60 not come zoo near, for l am afraid l
shall discover that you have been smok-
ing again, and l do not want to ad-
minister too many reprimands at once"
"Yis'm with GRIM. Fwhat is it
ye want, mum?" ,-e;-t
60 down and tell Patricia that
want to see her."
Exit Michaella, tiptoeing painfully
along the floor. and exhibiting van
ishing perspective of broad boot heels.
Enter presently Patricia in costume
somewhat resembling Michaella's. with
the difference that the petticoat is of
bingham in a large pattern, and the
trail of the kitchen is over it ALL Pa
tricia' football is even more emphatic
than Miehaella's, and its measured
''calump. calump." crescendo. gives
abundant notice of her coming.
Perhaps, Patricia" says the mis-
tress, as the cook scrapes a rough chin
and makes an exceedingly awkward
courtesy, 'those frayed pantaloons may
be good enough for rough work around
the kitchen and shed in the morning,
but l wouldn't wear them all day.
Have you begun the preparations for
dinner. Patricia" -l5 B.
"Yis, mum. Ihave put the bread to
bile. mum, and the bafeshteak to bake
-
Fury and explosion on the part OF
mistress. Such contretemps, it is fair
to assume. would be but infrequent I'M
der the new industrial regime. Even
now they rise occasionally in the best
regulated domestic interiors. The idea
is presented merely for what it is worth.
Boston Transcript.
A Railway Tie Nursery.
A notable phase of railway industry